4 Things to Do If Your Child Is in a School Bus Accident

As a parent, you probably wish that you could protect your child from all forms of harm. If your child has been involved in a school bus accident, you might be upset, worried, and unsure of what you should do next. Listed below are a few steps you should take immediately after the bus accident to help protect and advocate for your child.

1. Take Your Child to the Doctor

School bus accidents, much like car accidents, can range in severity from minor to catastrophic. In even seemingly minor school bus accidents, however, children can have serious injuries. Depending on the type and extent of any injuries, your child could even be affected for life.

Even if your child is not physically injured, he or she might still need medical care. For example, your child might be very frightened and could even suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Since your child might be confused about what happened and might not know how to communicate to you about what he or she fees, taking your son or daughter to a professional for evaluation is important.

On the day of the accident, taking your child to the emergency room might be necessary, particularly if injuries are serious or if you cannot get an appointment with your child's regular pediatrician. Afterward, make sure that you follow up with any physician recommendations. For example, your child may need to see a specialist or may need follow-up visits.

2. Speak to Someone From Your Child's School

Speak to someone from your child's school after the accident. Find out why and how the accident happened. Make sure that the administrators at your child's school take the situation seriously.

Advocating for your child by speaking to school administrators is important. This can help encourage the school to help prevent similar accidents from happening again in the future. Examples of future prevention include making sure that all of the school buses are in good condition and that all of the bus drivers have proper screenings and training before getting behind the wheel.

3. Document Everything

Keep proper documentation during each step of dealing with the aftermath of your child's school bus accident. From any communication that you might have with administrators at the school to any medical bills that you might receive, all of this documentation can help with your child's case.

4. Meet With a Personal Injury Lawyer

Filing a lawsuit against the school, the school district, or other parties might be necessary after your child has been in a school bus accident. You might not feel like the school takes the accident seriously enough, or you might have medical bills for your child's accident-related health care needs.

Filing any type of lawsuit is tricky, and matters can be even more complicated and difficult when children and schools are involved. Do not try to handle the case on your own. Instead, seek out the help of a personal injury lawyer. A lawyer can handle most of the work with the case, and you can focus on your child while he or she heals.

As a parent, you have a responsibility to do what you can to advocate for and protect your child. Of course, if your child has been involved in a school bus accident, the accident was not your fault. However, doing what you can to handle the situation properly after the fact is important.

Contact us at Cartee & Lloyd Attorneys at Law so that we can help with your child's case. We are always happy to answer your questions about the particulars of your case.

]]>Steps You Should Take When You Expect DivorceTue, 09 Oct 2018 08:34:00 +0000http://www.carteelloydlaw.com/blog/steps-you-should-take-when-you-expect-divorce
http://www.carteelloydlaw.com/blog/steps-you-should-take-when-you-expect-divorcejlloyd@carteelloydlaw.com (Admin)Admin

10.09.2018

Steps You Should Take When You Expect Divorce

Sometimes in marriage you do not know what is going on in your spouse's mind. Although you think your small squabbles are insignificant, your spouse may believe there are major problems in your marriage and suddenly ask you for a divorce. This may take you by surprise, and you may not know exactly how to react.

If your spouse asks for a divorce from seemingly out of nowhere, follow these tips to get through your emotions and prepare for what is to come.

Stay Calm

Although your natural reaction may be to become upset and scared, try to remain calm. You will feel hurt and angry, but you do not want to say something you do not mean, as this could have an impact on you later in the divorce process.

What you need to remember is that your spouse has likely thought about divorce for a long time and has accepted the idea. You need to take time to think about the idea of divorce and process what it means for you.

If you have any questions for your spouse, ask them calmly and without emotion, if possible. Also, take some time away for yourself to digest this sudden change in your life.

If you have children, your reaction is even more important. While your spouse can handle you coming apart, this is not the reaction you should allow your children to see. This news will have a major impact on them as it is, so you should try to remain as calm as you can for their sakes.

Get Support from Friends and Family

The support of those you love will be crucial at this time in your life. When you are blindsided by the idea of a divorce, you need a strong support system around you so you are able to figure out what your next steps will be.

Talk to your loved ones about how you feel about the divorce. Vent your frustrations to them if you feel the need to do so. If they offer assistance to you, whether it is a place to stay or help caring for your children, accept the help. You will feel much stronger in the end when you have a good support system in place.

Take Steps to Protect Yourself

Although your spouse may be a good person at heart, you never know what they are thinking or have been thinking about. Divorce often changes people and how they act, so you need to think about yourself at this time in case your spouse tries to take advantage of you.

One of the first things you should do is safeguard your finances. If you have any shared accounts, open your own separate accounts as soon as you can and forward your direct deposits to your new account. This is crucial if you believe that your spouse could take more out of your shared account than he or she should.

Next, you need to get your important papers together. Obtain and make copies of papers like your marriage license, any paperwork for jointly owned property, and your taxes. You also need to gather any information you have regarding investments or other assets you both own.

Once you get this information, store it in a safe location. Give it to a friend or loved one who you trust will not lose it or inadvertently give it to your spouse.

You also need to make sure that your children are in a good place. They will be upset by this news, so you need to keep their schedules consistent to prevent shock from sudden major changes in their lives. You also need to work out a temporary visitation schedule for both of you until you go through the custody process.

If you need help with an unexpected divorce, please contact Cartee &Lloyd Attorneys at Law.

Psychological Abuse in Alabama Nursing Homes: Can You Sue?

Psychological abuse in a nursing home isn't always out in the open. This type of abuse can go undetected by someone's friends, family, and even other staff members at the nursing home. Nevertheless, when psychological abuse comes to light, suing for damages is possible. Here is what you should know about psychological abuse in nursing homes.

What Is Psychological Abuse in a Nursing Home?

Psychological abuse isn't just a form of nursing home abuse. Psychological abuse can occur in any situation where one person or group causes mental trauma to someone by exercising power over him or her. The term is interchangeable with mental abuse and emotional abuse.

The exercise of power from the aggressor often happens in a non-physical way. However, psychological abuse in nursing homes does often come with other types of abuse as well.

How Does Psychological Abuse Happen in Nursing Homes?

People in nursing homes are particularly vulnerable to psychological abuse. Often, the elderly in nursing homes are at the complete mercy of staff members. That puts residents at an extreme disadvantage.

Some examples of how psychological abuse can occur in a nursing home can include:

Staff members purposefully lie to residents

Staff members threaten, browbeat, or belittle residents

Staff members keep a resident isolated

Staff members ignore a resident or a resident's reasonable requests

Actions such as these can create agonizing mental torment for someone who must endure them. A resident can start to feel trapped and can mentally retreat from what's going on. When patterns of psychological abuse go on for a while, this can lead to a sharp drop in quality of life.

For people in a nursing home, such abuse can start to manifest in their physical health as well. For example, a psychologically abused resident may go into a deep depression. That depression can lead to them not taking care of themselves or not focusing on the things around them.

In some cases, a resident who must endure such abuse may take drastic measures as a cry for help. Those measures can include hurting themselves or attempting suicide.

How Would a Nursing Home Psychological Abuse Claim Work?

The burden of proof is on the plaintiff in all personal injury cases. Usually, a caretaker, family member, or a conscientious staff member at the facility must take note of the signs of mental abuse. Those signs can include:

Abrupt changes in behavior

Looks of fear

Melancholy or signs of depression

Sudden incidents of self-harm or violence

You should report overt signs of psychological abuse immediately. If you experience psychological abuse in any way, don't stay quiet about it. If you are the caretaker or family of someone in a nursing home, look for signs and report anything suspicious.

In either case, you can report abuse or signs of abuse to the facility, the police, or a doctor who cares for the residents. If you're not sure, the Eldercare Locator can help you find resources. You can, and should, speak to an attorney who law regarding personal injury and nursing home abuse.

Reporting incidents and taking note of the evidence will help to build proof for the claim. Typically, investigations will come from the authorities, an attorney, or somebody in charge of the facility.

Psychological and other forms of elder abuse are serious situations requiring immediate action. Whether the abuse occurs in a nursing home or anywhere else, you can take legal action. Psychological abuse often stems from negligence, and that means you have a right to pursue damages in court.

4 Ways to Uncover Hidden Money During Your Divorce

If you and your spouse have decided to go your separate ways, you will come to a point in the divorce process in which you will have to divide the assets you currently have. This impending event may cause your spouse to attempt to hide money that you are entitled to receive. Fortunately, there are ways you may be able to find some of these hiding places. Here are a few ways you may try to uncover hidden money.

1. Look for Changes in Habits

Most people are creatures of habit, and many times when there is a change in their habits, they are up to no good. Look for irregularities in deposits or withdrawals in shared accounts. This could be indicative of money going elsewhere or being diverted away from shared accounts.

Look for newly opened accounts, large purchases, investments, or existing accounts that your name have been removed from. Some additional red flags you may want to pay attention to include changes in online passwords, new post office boxes, and more.

2. Review Your Documentation

Even if you are planning to live happily ever after, you should maintain copies of your financial documentation. These may include tax returns, investment statements, security portfolios, credit card statements, bank account balances, and more. If you have not been diligent in maintaining these, you need to begin rounding them up as soon as you know that a divorce is on the horizon.

Unfortunately, if you are not the one initiating the divorce, by the time you find out, it may be too late to get untampered documentation from anywhere but the source. For example, this may mean that you have to request tax forms directly from the IRS. Always remember you are entitled to copies of anything that your name is on. Once you have this information, make sure that you store it somewhere safe.

3. Hire a Forensic Accountant

Sometimes you may have to spend money in order to find money, and one of the best investments you may make is in hiring of a forensic accountant. A forensic accountant is trained to follow the money trails that could uncover hidden accounts, income, and property.

The discovery of these resources can result in an increase in your equitable distribution, child support, and alimony. The discovery could also result in a loss of credibility on behalf of your spouse, which in turn could provide you with favor in the eyes of the court.

The accountant performs their tasks by looking for inconsistencies in the submitted financial documentation, corroborating financial information, and tracing various resources. In addition to these tasks, a forensic accountant will be beneficial to you and your attorney as an expert financial consultant and witness. They will also be able to assist your attorney in formulating the right financial questions to get the answers you need during interviews or interrogatories.

A forensic accountant can be especially valuable if your spouse is self-employed or owns a business where the valuation is in question. The accountant can help to establish the valuation, as well as quantify personal expenses that may be disguised as business expenses.

4. Enlist the Services of an Experienced Divorce Attorney

There aren't too many things that an experienced divorce attorney have not seen or heard, and we at Cartee & Lloyd Attorneys at Law are no exceptions. We have a wealth of knowledge and experience that may help you find any financial resources that are missing. Once found, we will ensure you get the portion that belongs to you. Contact our office today to discuss your divorce case.

You're Uninsured and Got in a Car Accident: You Need a Lawyer

Every single state requires all drivers to have at least liability insurance on their vehicles - some states require higher insurance minimums than liability only. You are an uninsured driver, one of over 12% of uninsured drivers in America.

You don't realize how important having insurance actually is until you get into an accident, whether you are to blame for the crash or not. Being an uninsured driver is a serious situation when an accident occurs, and you need a lawyer. Even if your accident left nobody harmed and it wasn't your fault, there are reasons you should consult with a lawyer anyway.

You Can Go To Jail

Every state carries different laws regarding punishments for drivers caught driving without insurance. An accident that occurs while you are behind the wheel makes matters worse and can cause you to go to jail for the offense.

You need to hire a lawyer to help make any legal repercussions against you as minimal as possible. Your lawyer will fight to prove that the accident was not your fault, prove you have a previously flawless driving history or downplay any previous speeding tickets or other auto-related fines you've had in the past.

Even if you do not face jail time, you can still have your license suspended or face very serious fines. Your lawyer will work with the court system to reduce or eliminate charges against you and keep you out of the legal system.

Do not plead guilty to any charges that are pressed against you and if you are given a ticket or fine for your accident by the police and must go to court. Hire a lawyer to assist you to the proceedings (if you cannot get a lawyer before this date, do not skip your court date or neglect to pay any fines; neglecting court responsibilities will make your case much worse).

You Can Be Sued

Auto insurance is designed to allow drivers the funds they need (with a deductible drivers pay out of pocket) to cover costs related to car accidents, including:

Vehicle repairs

Medical bills

Property repairs

Without auto insurance, you can be sued directly for damages caused in the accident, even if you are not found to be at fault for the crash (not having auto insurance, by default, makes you financially vulnerable in a car accident). You need to hire a lawyer to fight for your case in the event you are sued.

Your lawyer will help settle your case to an affordable amount, fight financial obligations you don't feel responsible for, and, most importantly, will work hard to protect your personal assets from being attacked in a lawsuit. These include your home, automobile, or other personal belongings in the event you have no funds to pay.

If you are sued, and a settlement is agreed upon between you and the insurance company of the other party involved in the crash, your lawyer will work with all parties to come up with a payment plan that is affordable for you and satisfactory for the other person. Don't make yourself vulnerable to being sued without having legal representation; call a lawyer specializing in uninsured motorists immediately following your car accident.

Your lawyer will also assist you in getting car insurance following an accident. To many auto insurance companies, you may be considered a liability and can find getting insurance hard to come by. A recommendation from your lawyer will help in getting you the auto coverage you should have.

Don't go through the legalities of being an uninsured motorist alone. Hire our expert team of lawyers to assist you in your case. Contact Cartee & Lloyd Attorneys at Law today.

]]>4 Times You May Have A Bad Faith Claim Against Your Insurance CompanyMon, 12 Feb 2018 03:53:50 +0000http://www.carteelloydlaw.com/blog/4-times-you-may-have-a-bad-faith-claim-against-your-insurance-company
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02.12.2018

4 Times You May Have A Bad Faith Claim Against Your Insurance Company

If you have received a denial from your insurance company for a claim you feel they should have paid, your first response may be to take them at their word, but you may need to question their decision. While there are times a denial may be legitimate, there are also times the company acts in bad faith. In these cases, your company will deny claims that are valid. When this happens, you may be entitled to additional compensation from the insurance company for acting in bad faith. What constitutes a bad faith claim? Here are a few examples.

Unwarranted Denial Of Coverage

An insurance policy is basically a contract that states if you pay your premiums, the company will pay your claim if you suffer a covered loss. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. The insurance company is in the business of making money, and anytime a claim is paid, it is money out of their coffers.

Unfortunately, some insurance companies place their shareholders and/or profits over their policyholders. When this happens, the company will often unjustly deny claims which they should pay according to your policy.

Failure To Provide A Reason For Your Denial

If your claim is unapproved for whatever rhyme or reason, your insurance company must provide you with the details on why they are not paying your claim. In addition to the reasons for the denial, they should also provide you with your appeal rights in writing.

The company should clearly spell out the reasons for denial of your coverage in the documentation you were previously sent. It could be in the literature that you received at the time you took out the policy, or in one of the periodic updates the company sent you pertaining to your policy.

Failure To Investigate Your Claim

Your insurance company has a responsibility to investigate any claim filed with the company. Although some insurance claims are very straightforward and do not require much investigation, your insurance company should still collect all of the relevant documentation to support or deny your claim.

If you receive a denial without your insurance company performing any type of investigation, it is a good sign that they are operating in bad faith. The lack of communication from the company, failure to request documentation, or reasons of denial not clearly supported by the facts of your case are all evidence of the company's failure to investigate your claim.

Failure To Act Within A Reasonable Time

Once your insurance company has accepted your claim they have two options; to approve or deny your claim within a reasonable time frame. While the insurance company's investigation and claim process can take a considerable amount of time, your insurance company should not just sit on your claim without any action taking place.

They have a duty to respond and negotiate in a timely manner. If you receive and accept an offer, a payment should be forthcoming in a timely fashion. Most states require that this payment takes place within 30 to 45 days.

If your payment takes longer than 60 days, you may need to call an attorney. Because in addition to the agreed upon payment, you may be entitled to additional interest and your claim may be eligible for significant financial penalties. This could greatly increase the financial compensation you receive.

In addition to the reasons listed, there are other times your company may be guilty of acting in bad faith. An attorney can help you identify if this is the case. If you live in the Tuscaloosa area and feel you have been the victim of a bad faith claim, contact Cartee & Lloyd Attorneys at Law. Our insurance dispute attorneys have years of experience and ensure you receive the justice you deserve.

What to Do After Sustaining a Personal Injury

No one wants to sustain an injury. In fact, as far as most people are concerned, getting injured is one of the worst things that could possibly happen to them.

With that said, hopefully you will never sustain a personal injury. But, in the off chance that you do, you need to know what to do and how and when to do it.

In fact, knowing what to do and when to do it could make all the difference in terms of whether or not you ultimately receive the justice to which you are entitled as a result of your injury.

To ensure that you do receive justice, make sure that you act correctly and promptly. Here are some of the most important steps you should take.

See a Medical Professional

Immediately after sustaining a personal injury, you will want to ensure that you go and see a medical professional.

Whether you go to the emergency room or your family doctor, make sure that you seek professional, documentable medical advice.

This is important for your own safety and well-being, of course. However, it is also extremely important for the sake of any legal proceedings that may follow as a result of your injury.

When you see a professional, you will have documented proof that you were injured enough to seek medical help. You will also have detailed records of what your injuries were. This can help you immensely should your case go to trial. Find an Attorney

As soon as possible after sustaining your injury, you should make sure to seek professional legal advice.

Immediately after you are injured, the clock starts ticking in terms of how much time you have to report your injury and file a claim. Thus, it is in your best interest to seek legal help as soon you can after the incident.

The right lawyer can listen to the details of your case, come up with a plan for helping you seek justice and then put that plan into motion so that you can get the help that you need as quickly as possible.

Gather Potential Witnesses

Something else that you can do immediately following an accident, if you are able, is to gather potential witnesses.

If you aware of anyone who saw your accident occur, try and collect statements and/or contact information from these individuals.

This information, if you can get it, can prove to be useful when it comes to trying your case in court, as these witnesses can potentially be called to the stand. Their testimony can help you prove your case.

Get a Police Report

Finally, whenever the situation warrants, do your best to file a police report following your accident.

In the case of a car accident, for example, it is simple to call police to the scene and have a report filed. Even if the accident is minor, it is still nice to have it on record to detail what happened and to prove that it occurred.

Car accidents are not the only instances in which police reports can be filed. In fact, most of the time if you call the police following an accident, whether it is a slip and fall accident or any other type of accident, they can tell you what you need to do to get the accident on record.

As you can see, there are many things you can and should do following a personal injury to accurately document what occurred so that you can get the compensation you deserve. Following these tips and contacting legal professionals, like the experts at Cartee & Lloyd Attorneys at Law, will help you greatly.

5 Signs You Have a Personal Injury Case on Your Hands

After a wide range of injuries, you may be entitled to compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. However, it can be hard to tell if you have a case on your hands. To help you out, here are 5 signs that you may qualify for compensation from a personal injury case.

1. You Suffered Damages

First and foremost, in order for there to be a case you must have suffered damages. With injury cases, that usually includes medical bills, lost time at work or damage to your property. Above and beyond that, damages can include pain and suffering. That typically applies to emotional issues that stem from the injury.

You can also claim damages for loss of enjoyment. This refers to the loss of an ability to enjoy your regular hobbies and activities due to physical injuries, emotional issues or other matters related to the injury.Without at least some damages, you don't have a case, as there are no losses for which to demand compensation.

2. You Can Identify a Liable Party

You also need to be able to identify a liable party. This refers to the party whom your lawyer brings the lawsuit against. That could be an individual, a corporation, an organization or a group of people. Generally, to be responsible this party must have been negligent in a manner that lead to your injury.

For example, if you were in a car accident and the other driver was drinking, that constitutes gross negligence and can help establish a case. Similarly, if you were injured due to a poorly manufactured product, the company that made the product may be liable for neglecting to ensure their product was safe to use.

3. You Were on Someone Else's Property

In some cases, even if another party wasn't directly negligible, they may be at fault simply because they own the property where the incident happened. For instance, if you got hurt while staying at someone else's home, their property insurance may need to cover your medical bills.

4. The Liable Party Has Resources

You cannot draw blood from a stone, and in that same vein, you can't get a settlement from someone who has nothing. For your case to be successful, the liable party needs to have some assets or money that can be converted into a settlement. In other cases, you may need to rely on a payout from the liable person's insurance.

In particular, this tends to be relevant in cases where there was a vehicular accident, medical malpractice, an injury on someone's property or a work-related injury. In these situations, if the case is successful, the liable party's car insurance, medical malpractice coverage, property insurance or worker's comp coverage kicks in to cover the damages.

5. The Statute of Limitations Has Not Passed

When it comes to both criminal and civil cases, there is a statute of limitations. This establishes a period of time after the incident has occurred in which the case can be brought forward. Once this period of time has passed, you can no longer sue for compensation, even if the other party was fully liable for your damages.

In Alabama, personal injury usually has a two year statute of limitations. If there was a contract between the two parties, the statute of limitations is for six years.

If your case meets some or all of the criteria above, you should contact a personal injury attorney. Even if you don't think you have a case, you may want to set up a consultation just to learn a little more.

Contact Cartee & Lloyd Attorneys at Law to set up a consultation today. Their attorneys work with clients who have suffered a range of personal injuries including traumatic brain injuries, wrongful death, nursing home abuse, dog bites and more.

]]>What to Do If You Suffer a Slip and Fall in Your Apartment ComplexMon, 14 Aug 2017 14:17:02 +0000http://www.carteelloydlaw.com/blog/what-to-do-if-you-suffer-a-slip-and-fall-in-your-apartment-complex
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08.14.2017

What to Do If You Suffer a Slip and Fall in Your Apartment Complex

Approximately one million Americans visit their local emergency room after suffering a slip and fall each year. Suffering an injury after slipping and falling on puddle of water inside a grocery store or tripping on a piece of loose carpeting at a department store might seem straightforward. However, what if you slip and fall in the common areas of your apartment complex?

If you ever suffer an injury after a slip and fall in the area controlled and maintained by a landlord or property management company, you may have a case. Here are the steps you need to take, if you slip and fall in your apartment complex.

Seek Medical Attention

After the fall, you need to seek immediate medical attention. If you can stand up, didn't hurt your head or neck and can easily walk, you can head to the emergency room. However, if you are dizzy, feel nauseous, are having trouble walking or are bleeding severely, call 9-1-1 and do not move until the paramedics arrive.

Once you reach the hospital, ask the physician to create a thorough report of your injuries. Tell the doctor about any pain and bruises, scrapes and strains. Remember, even if the discomfort is minor while you're in the emergency room, it doesn't mean you won't feel serious pain in the days and weeks following the fall.

Contact Your Landlord or the Property Management Company

Once you've attended to your injuries, you need to contact your landlord or property manager and report the slip and fall. Depending on your apartment complex's policies, you will need to fill out an incident report, or you can send your landlord or the property management company a letter outlining your injuries and the details of the slip and fall.

For example, if you decide to send a letter to the landlord or property owner and their insurance provider, make sure to be as thorough and specific as possible. Tell them the time the incident occurred, exactly where it occurred, what caused the slip and fall and the injuries you suffered.

Document the Scene of the Fall and Your Injuries

If you decide to file a lawsuit again the property management company or your landlord, it is critical to gather as much evidence as possible. Keep a journal of your injuries, any pain you suffered and if there were any complications, such as an infection. Continue to take photographs of your injuries, as well.

Also, take several photos of the scene where the slip and fall occurred. Pay special attention to the cause of the injury. For example, snap pictures of a hole in the concrete that was present for several months but never repaired.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney

Finally, it is imperative to contact a personal injury attorney. Your attorney can help you determine if the property owner or landlord is negligent and, therefore, responsible for your medical bills, pain and suffering and other types of compensation.

For your landlord or the property's owner to be held responsible for the accident, your attorney must prove they either knew that the common areas were unsafe or should have known since the area in question has featured the defect for several weeks or months.

For example, if you or another tenant had told the landlord in the past of the slippery conditions, they choose not to fix it and you suffered an injury, you could have grounds for a case.

Suffering a slip and fall in your apartment complex can be both physically and financially devastating. If you ever suffer this type of injury, contact the professionals at Cartee & Lloyd, Attorneys at Law.

]]>Why Discussing Your Case With A Personal Injury Lawyer Is Important Even If You Don't Think...
If you recently sustained injuries from an accident of any kind, you may have a case and deserve the proper compensation. Before you dismiss seeking compensation, talk to a personal injury lawyer to learn more.]]>Mon, 26 Jun 2017 18:09:56 +0000http://www.carteelloydlaw.com/blog/why-discussing-your-case-with-a-personal-injury-lawyer-is-important-even-if-you-don-t-think..
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06.26.2017

Why Discussing Your Case With A Personal Injury Lawyer Is Important Even If You Don't Think...

Why Discussing Your Case With A Personal Injury Lawyer Is Important Even If You Don't Think You Have A Case

You've probably heard of people receiving large settlements after major car accidents or other types of accidents, and you may think these settlements follow accidents that involve life-long injuries or other serious damage to property. But personal injury law has no boundaries when it comes to how seemingly trivial or severe a case appears or actually is.If you recently sustained injuries from an accident of any kind, you may have a case and deserve the proper compensation. Before you dismiss seeking compensation, talk to a personal injury lawyer to learn more.

You Have Nothing to Lose

Did you know that many law firms offer free case evaluations? This means you have nothing to lose by having a lawyer review your case. You can give the facts of your accident to an attorney and receive advice about pursuing legal action. This is the best solution to help you decide how to proceed with your case, and it will not cost a thing.Once a lawyer reviews the information you supply, you will know if you should drop the issue or proceed with seeking compensation for your injuries.

Lawyers Know the Law

If you are not a lawyer, how can you expect to make a knowledgeable decision on your own about how to proceed with your case? Do you know the requirements for filing a personal injury lawsuit? Do you have any idea what the time frame is that you must stick to when filing a case? These are just a few important details a personal injury lawyer will know to consider.Without knowing exactly what the law is relating to personal injuries, you could encounter three main problems:

You won't receive any compensation: If you don't file a case because you think it's too trivial, you could lose out on a settlement.

You'll receive lesser compensation: If you think you have a case and settle with the insurance company on your own, you could lose out on money. Handling a settlement by yourself typically results in a lower amount of compensation than an attorney would win. Skilled negotiators, lawyers know the law and how to achieve fair compensation.

You'll miss your deadline: Every state has statutes of limitations that prevent people from filing cases after a certain amount of time. This rule varies from state to state; however, if you fail to initiate a case before the deadline ends, you forfeit your opportunity to seek compensation.

It Helps You Know Your Options

Even if you only sustained minor injuries from your accident, you might be entitled to compensation, and your lawyer will help you find the best way to settle the case. There are multiple ways to settle cases, including the following two options:

Settling outside of court: This method involves coming up with an agreement with the insurance company without going through the court system. Lawyers use this method lawyers first to settle personal injury cases.

Settling with a lawsuit: If the insurance company is unwilling to settle for a fair amount, a lawyer then files a lawsuit against the at-fault party. This process requires letting a court hear the case and determine how to settle it and how much the settlement amount is.

After hearing the details of your case in a consultation, a lawyer might also decide there is not enough evidence to proceed. Every case is different and viewed in a unique manner.Brushing off your recent accident as though it is no big deal might not be the best choice for you. Contact Cartee & Lloyd Attorneys At Law to schedule a consultation and start your free case evaluation.

Steps to Take After a Car Accident

After a car accident, it can be difficult to consider what to do next. Emotions are usually high, especially if you or your loved ones may be injured. Sometimes the hardest thing to come up with is what your next step should be. If you have the information to begin with, however, it can make the process much easier.

Remain at the Scene

One mistake that many people make is leaving the scene. Never do this. Make sure that you wait until you are cleared from the scene because leaving too soon can be considered a hit-and-run.

Check on Passengers

Don’t go straight for property damage. Make sure that the drivers and passengers aren’t injured if you’re able to. If someone is injured, be careful not to move them until help arrives.

Keep Documentation

After you’ve been cleared of the scene by the proper officials, don’t forget to document your journey. This means all police reports and medical treatment. You should also take pictures of the scene.

Consider Legal Assistance

If anyone was injured in the accident, you’ll want to talk to a car accident attorney. An accident lawyer will be able to tell if you’re owed compensation or to fight any suits against you.

A car accident is a devastating and difficult time for anyone. If you’re looking for more information on your next step after a car wreck, contact Cartee & Lloyd Attorneys at Law today.